Ishaq Dar guiding on economy: Rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday said that PML-N's financial guru Ishaq Dar is guiding the government in managing the economic crisis.

Speaking on Geo Pakistan today, the senior government functionary stated that Dar is aware of the situation Pakistan is currently in.

During the initial days of the coalition government, Ishaq Dar, who is based in London along with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, was very active and regularly appeared on TV screens giving his input on the economy which sparked a debate about who is heading the finance ministry — Miftah Ismail or Ishaq Dar.

The country is facing a crisis amid a delay in the revival of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) $6 billion loan facility stalled due to policy breaches by the previous government.

Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI government signed a deal with the IMF which was not in favour of Pakistan.

"They [PTI] agreed to remove all sorts of subsidies despite the fact that the financial condition of our people is not such that we burden them more. They promised zero subsidies on petrol with IMF."

The incumbent government is reviving the same agreement which the PTI signed with the lender.

Rana Sanullah said that they have ruined the economy and it is now difficult to manage it.

They used to criticise Ishaq Dar for controlling the dollar rate and when the PTI government came to power it shot up to Rs190 from Rs115.

"During our two-month tenure, it has ascended further."

The minister said that the IMF is not ready to show flexibility and the dollar rate is increasing due to the delay in agreement.

"We told them to allow us to remove subsidies in phases but they refused. We will bring down the dollar to 182 after the loan programme is restored."

On the PTI’s countrywide protest call on Sunday against inflation, Rana Sanaullah said the people kept themselves away from the protest.

In a population of 220 million, only 10,000 to 12,000 people came out on their call.

The minister asked the PTI to admit its mistake and sit with the government on an economic pact.